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免除 (miǎn chú) — to prevent, to avoid (an undesirable outcome); to exempt, to remit (a duty, debt, penalty)

Definition

免除 is the formal verb meaning to lift or do away with something unwelcome — an obligation, penalty, debt, or risk. Contrast with 免, the simpler HSK 6 verb focused on excusing someone from a duty.

verb
to preventto avoid (an undesirable outcome)to exemptto remit (a duty, debt, penalty)

Examples

  • 免除。
    Qín xǐ shǒu néng miǎn chú gǎn rǎn duō zhǒng jí bìng.
    Frequent handwashing can prevent infection from many diseases.
  • ，免除。
    Tā chéng jì yōu xiù, suǒ yǐ bèi miǎn chú le qī mò kǎo shì.
    He has excellent grades, so he was exempted from the final exam.
  • 免除。
    Yín háng miǎn chú le tā de quán bù dài kuǎn.
    The bank remitted all of his loans.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

免miǎnexempt or remove
除chútake away

免 means exempt or remove and 除 means take away, together expressing removal or exemption.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

免 originally drew a man wearing a ceremonial hat. It was later used for meanings such as avoid and exempt.

Open 免 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
余
余yú除chú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

除 is built from 阜 and 余, with 余 giving the sound.

Open 除 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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